“Ha, I used to think that, too. One of the biggest mistakes I made was justifying how bad I felt because so many of my idols struggled. But trust me. You can create better when you don’t have so much weighing you down.” Alexis folds her hands and reminds Natasha of the monks in India that Mom used to pray to. “And, speaking of creating, do you wanna tell me why you stopped my class? Yes, I noticed.”

A weight settles in Natasha’s stomach. “Um, do you not remember squashing my biggest dream? Telling me I didn’t seem like a comedian?”

“I didn’t say that!” Alexis’s loud voice takes away any residual fatigue that’s been lingering in Natasha’s body.

“Yeah, you did,” Natasha says as she remembers how Alexis’s words looped in her head for weeks.

“I said I didn’t see you as a stand-up comedian yet,” Alexis says.

“Same thing!”

“It’s not at all. Natasha, can you tell me what you even like about stand-up?”

“Of course,” Natasha says with a burst of confidence. “I like writing things and then, um, expressing them with the power of the microphone and feeling the greater purpose and fulfillment of the bright spotlight. . . .”

Alexis looks at Natasha with an expression that says, Do you even hear yourself?

“Fine, so I hate being onstage, but who cares? It’s something I have to work on,” Natasha says.

“Maybe. Maybe with some time, work, and the stuff you can accomplish here, it’ll feel more natural,” Alexis agrees.

“But I love writing things that make m—”

“Exactly!” Alexis interrupts. “You love writing. And I remembered your writing from when you applied for my class. It was good. Really good. I think you’ve got something a lot of people would want to see. Doing stand-up comedy is writing and performing. I know that if you work on your writing first and then move to performing, you have the potential to someday be the type of comedian you want.”

“But I have been working on it,” Natasha says.

“I mean really working in a way that reshapes you.” Alexis makes a fist. “Not giving up when you get feedback. Not playing it safe. If you’re committing to this life, you’re committing to rejections and instability and travel and going against a world where women are told they have to be pretty and agreeable, not hilarious and aggressive.”

“So you’re saying I need to get out of my comfort zone and try harder?” Natasha asks. She could have gotten that advice from a collection of Instagram quotes.

“Yes!” Alexis says. “And work your ass off for you, not to prove something to your family, the guy you almost married, or even the world.”